Light primer strikes

[toddlouis]

Hey all,

I have a Winchester model 70 300 wsm. It's probably the most frustrating rifle I've ever owned. Lol.

It shoots amazingly well some days, other days not so much and about every 7-8 shots I've been getting very light primer strikes, it was doing this with the old firing pin spring and installed a new one from Midwest Gunworks and still happening.

Is there anything I could try/do before I decide to spend the money on a gunsmith?

Hunting season in Alaska is coming up soon. Lol. Any advice, help, tips is greatly appreciated.

 

[crystalgayleguy]

some times the firing pin is to long to doesn't strike it hard enough

 

[L.Sherm]

You arent bumping your shoulders back to far when FL sizing are you?

 

[toddlouis]

some times the firing pin is to long to doesn't strike it hard enough

how could I measure that?

 

[toddlouis]

You arent bumping your shoulders back to far when FL sizing are you?

I could be. I'll try to screw my die out a bit and see if that makes a difference.

 

[DJ Fergus]

You can measure firing pin drop and see if it is at least .230" supposedly .250" is optimal. Measure from the cocking indicator on the back of the bolt from being cocked and then in fired position. Also, do you think it's possible that you have excessive head space and the cartridge is allowed to drive far enough forward into the chamber that the firing pin isn't driving into the primer far enough every time.

 

[crystalgayleguy]

how could I measure that?

compa

 

[L.Sherm]

how could I measure that?

Comparator.

 

[toddlouis]

You can measure firing pin drop and see if it is at least .230" supposedly .250" is optimal. Measure from the cocking indicator on the back of the bolt from being cocked and then in fired position. Also, do you think it's possible that you have excessive head space and the cartridge is allowed to drive far enough forward into the chamber that the firing pin isn't driving into the primer far enough every time.

Measure the drop and it's .224".

 

[L.Sherm]

That's pretty normal on a factory action.

 

[DJ Fergus]

Measure the drop and it's .224".

I think that measurement is good enough. Is the light firing pin strike happening on your reloaded brass or virgin brass or both?

 

[shortgrass]

What is the firing pin protrusion? Also, I have noticed on Win 70s that the spring seems to drag inside. I ended up buying a decimal sized reamer to enlarge the inside of the bolt so the spring doesn't drag. Depends upon the vintage of the rifle as to whether spring drags, or not.

 

[DJ Fergus]

What is the firing pin protrusion? Also, I have noticed on Win 70s that the spring seems to drag inside. I ended up buying a decimal sized reamer to enlarge the inside of the bolt so the spring doesn't drag. Depends upon the vintage of the rifle as to whether spring drags, or not.

That's a good point. Might not be enough potrusion. And it could be a cumulation of not enough potrusion with excessive head space on some of the brass.

 

[shortgrass]

Without the rifle in hand it is all just guessing game. Some things just cannot be diagnosed on the web. That's what gunsmiths are for.